Switch-throwing mechanism.



PATENTED DEG. 4, 1906.

L. B. STEELE. SWITGH THROWING MBcHANlsM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12. 190B.v v

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No. 837,593. l PATENTED DEG. 4, 1906.

` L. E. STEELE. SWITCH TEEOWING MECEANISM.

APPLICATION FILED TBB. 12. 190B.

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. .PATENTED DEE. 4, 1906.

L. E. STEELE. SWITCH TEEOWINE AMECEANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FIIEIB.4 12. 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

LEWIS E. STEELE, OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PERLIE H.LEFF EL, OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH-THROWING IVIECHANISIVI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Application filed February 12, 1906. Serial No. 300,686.

To @ZZ whom, it 11a/ay con/cern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS E. STEELE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lincoln, in the county of Logan and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Switch-Throwing Mechanism, of which thefollowing is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use my saidinvention.

This invention relates to switch-throwing mechanism operative by meansunder the control of the engineer or other person on a moving train.

The general purposes of my invention are to provide means whereby theengineer on a moving train may in case his train is about to run into anopen switch quickly and effectively close the switch and enable thetrain to proceed safely on the main track, and to provide means adaptedto effect a great saving of time and expense in the handling of trainsand also to greatly enhance safety in the operation of railwaytrains, orif he wishes to run his train onto a side track and the switch to thattrack is closed he may o perate the device to open switch and permit thetrain to run onto the side track.

More speciiic purposes of my invention are to provide a switch-stand soconstructed and arranged that it may be operated by means of actuatorsconnected with a moving train and running on depressors alongside of thetrack and may not be manually operated by any unauthorized person, butmay be operated by hand by persons authorized to operate it 5 to providedepressors of improved construction operatively connected with theswitch-stand; to provide means mounted on the locomotive or on a car ofa train and connected with the compressed-air supply of the train, sothat the air may be utilized to bring into action a suitable actuator,such as a wheel or equivalent device or devices, serving to operate thedepressors; to provide means connected with a car of the train(preferably the rear car) and operative by hand to bring into action asuitable actuator for operating the depressors, and to provide othernovel features of construction hereinafter more particularly described,

Iith these ends in view my invention consists in the novel features ofconstruction and combinations of parts shown in the annexed drawings, towhich reference is hereby made and hereinafter particularly describedand iinally recited in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in Which similar reference charactersdesignate like parts in the several views, Figure l is a diagram of partof the main track and side tracks of a railroad and shows the locationof the switchstands and the depressors relative to the tracks. Fig. 2 isan elevation of the righthand side of a train, the actuators' beingshown as connected with the locomotive and the rear car of the train.Fig. 3 is an elevation of the left-hand side of a train, the actuatorsbeing shown as connected with the rear car of the train. Fig. 4 is anelevation of the switch-stand. Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectionon the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged partial axial sectionthrough the switch-stand. Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of one ofthe depressors. Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on theline 8 S of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an enlarged elevation of one of thedepressors, one of the side plates being removed to show the partswithin the depressor. Fig. l() is an enlarged top plan of one of thedepressors. Fig. 11 is an enlarged axial section of an automaticactuator operative by compressed air. Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectionalview of the valve controlling the supply of air to the actuatorcylinder,and Fig. 13 is an enlarged side elevation of a hand-operated actuatormounted on a car-truck.

Referring to Fig, 1 of the drawings, the several parts are designated byreference-numerals as follows: l, the main track; 2 and 2, side tracks;3 and 3, switch-stands; and 4, 4, 4b, 4C, 4d, 4e, 4f, and 4g aredepressors.

The switch-stands are all exactly alike and the depressors are allexactly alike, so that the description of one switch-stand and onedepressor will be sufficient to clearly set forth the construct-ion ofall of the switchstands and all of the depressors.

The operating parts of the switch-stand are contained within a suitablecast -iron shell 5, which is firmly secured on a suitable foundation 1S,preferably of concrete. A cap 6 fits on the upper end of the shell 5 andis se- IOO cured thereon by bolts 7. A ring 8, preferably of hardenedsteel, fits on top of the shell 5 and has suitably-placed pockets 9,adapted to accommodate balls 10, the depth of the pockets being somewhatless than half the diameter of a ball. Lugs 6L on the cap 6 fit innotches 6b in the ring 8 and prevent the ring from turning in the cap.'On the inside of the cap 6 is av circular way 11, in which the ring 8fits, and when the cap is in position on the shell the ring lies in theway 11 and on top of the shell 5 andthe cap bears firmly on the ring toprevent turning of the ring.

Doors 12 and 12'EL have a hinge connection with the shell and cover theopening 13. The door12l overlaps the door 12 and may be secured by anysuitable lock 12d, the key to the lock being held only by authorizedpersons. A lug 12b on the door 12 extends through a hole in the shell 5,and a pin 12C fits in a hole through the lug and secures the door, sothat it is necessary Jto'remove the pin before the door can be opened. Y

A circular crank-plate 1'9 is connectedwith a circular chamber-plate 20by a sleeve 19a, preferably integral with both plates, and has a hub1'9b turning in a stationary support 15 central to the shell 5. Asemaphore-shaft 14 fits in the sleeve 19a' and turns ina bearing 15a,central to the cap 6, and has at its lower end a crank 16,. so connectedthat all turn together. switch-rod 17 connects the switch-points 17a'with the crank 16.

Rods 62 and 62a connect the crank-plate 1'9 with the depressor-levers 55or the bellcrank levers 63, as the case may be. The

rods 62 are provided with prongs 62h, which connect with the levers 55on both sides of the depressors, so that both levers pull alike on therod.

The chamber-plate 20 has radial'bores 20a, in which spiralsprings 21 fitloosely. Levers 22 turn on pivots 22a in slotsv 20b in the plate 20 andhave upwardly-extending spoonshaped parts 22h, which fit on theperiphery of the balls.

A collar 23, secured on the sleever 19a, has an upwardly-extending fork23a. A lever 24 is mounted to oscillate in the fork 23a and has at oneend a fork 24", through whichl thev sleeve 19a passes, and at the otherend a socket 24a, adapted to receive one end of a bar 26. The bar26 isconnected toa chain 26a, which has one end secured within the shell 5,and when in use theA bar projects through the opening 13, as indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 6. Doors 12 and 12a, hinged on the shell, coverthe opening 13, and when the doors are closed and the bar is not' in useit remains inside of the shell, where it is accessible to any one havingthe key to the door, but cannot be reached by any unauthorized person.

The parts 14, 19, and`20 arey Thev A circular plate 25 rests on top ofthe fork' 65 24b and is slidable on the sleeve 19a. Thedownwardly-extending members of the levers 22 lie on the edge of theplate 25.

When the outer end of the lever 24 is depressed by pushing downward onthe bar 26, the part 24h, acting on the under side of the plate 20,raises the plate, and the perimeter of the plate acting on thedownwardly-extending members of the levers 22, pushes them outward,causing the spoon-shaped members 22b to compress the springs 21, therebypermitting balls 10 to enter the bores 20a, so that the plate 20 may beeasily turned by moving the bar 26 to the right or the left, as the casemay be. The strength of the springs 21 is such that they press the balls10 into the pockets 20at with such force that the semaphore-shaft andconnected parts cannot be turned by hand', but may be turned by theweight of the locomotive or the car applied on the depressors, ashereinafter eX- plained.

Each of the depressors 4 4LL 4b, &c., consists of a depressor-box havingvertical sides and hinged top plates inclining downwardly in bothdirections from the center and moving between the side plates.

The depressor (shown in detail in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10) has abase-plate 48 supporting side plates 50, and the base-plate and sideplates are firmly connected together and secured on a foundation 49,preferably of cement, by bolts 49, embedded in the foundation. Parallelvertical openings 50b in the plates 50 accommodate-a bar 51, slidable inthe openings. Grooved rollers 52 turn on spindles 52zt on the bar 51.Brackets 53 are secured on the plates 50. A shaft 54 turns in suitablebearings in the brackets 53 and the plates 50. Bell-crank levers 55,having a number of holes 55a for different settings of the rods 62h, aresecured on the shaft 54. The groovedwheels 52 lie upon thehorizontalmembers of the levers 55, and when the bar 51 is pressed downward thegrooved wheels cause the levers to turn so that the levers will pull onthe rods 62b. 56 fit under the flanges 50a of the plates 50 and havedownwardly-extending lugs 56a and hinges 56h, connecting the plates withthe base 48. Bars 57 fit in notches 51a inthe bar 51 and are pivotallyconnected with the bar and the'lugs 56a. Coiled springs 64 underlie andnormally support the plates 56. A- bolster 59 is slidable verticallybetween the plates 50. A roller 60 is mounted on the bolster 59 andsupports the adjacent ends of IOO Depressor-plates y IIS IZO

their adjacent ends approach each other. The roller prevents dirt frompassing between the ends of the plates, and the flanges -50a prevent theentrance of dirt along the edges of the plates.

Rods 62 and 62a pivotally connect the plate 19 within the` switch-standwith the depressor-levers 55 or the bell-cranks 63, as the case may be,and rods 62c connect the bell-cranks 63 with each other.

When the actuators are applied on the depressors 4 4a 4b, &c., the rods62 or 62a, as the case may be, pull on the plates 19, respectively, toturn the plate 19 and the shaft 14 so as to throw the connected switch.

For convenience in description I designate the means for depressing thed epressor-plates as actuators Two different forms of actuators may beused, one operative by hand a-nd the other operative by compressed airor steam. The actuator or actuators operating` by compressed air orsteam are preferably mounted on the locomotive, but may withoutdeparture from my invention be located in any suitable and convenientposition on a car of the train. The actuators which are operated bycompressed air or steam are hereinafter referred to as automatic7actuators, and the actuators which are operated by hand are referred toas hand-operated actuators.

The construction of the automatic actuator is shown in detail in Figs.11 and 12, and

the hand-operated actuator is shown in Fig. 13. The main structure ofthe automatic actuator preferably consists of a suitable tubular frame27, firmly secured on the frame of the locomotive by braces 27a. Acylinder 2S is secured in the Jframe 27, and the cylinder-heads 23 areprovided with suitable glands 28". A piston 29 is secured on apiston-rod 30 axial to the cylinder 28. The piston-rod 30 has at itslower end a fork 30a. Awheel 31 turns in the fork 30a. A pipe 32,connected with a valve 33, supplies compressed air to the cylinder 28. Apipe 34 connects the valve with the compressed-air cylinder 35. (SeeFig. 2.) The valve 33 (shown in section in Fig. 12) has openings 33a,33h, and 330, in which the pipes 34, 32, and 36, respectively, iit.l/Vhen the valve is open, as shown in Fig. 12, air from the pipe 34 Howsthrough the valve into the pipe 32, and thence into the cylinder 28above the piston. Wlhen the valve-plug 33d is turned as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 12, air from the cylinder 23 will pass through thepipe 32, through the valve, and thence through the pipe 36 to theatmosphere. A collar 301 is secured on the piston-rod 30. A spring 37surrounds the piston-rod 30 between the collar and the bottoni of theframe 27. Then compressed air is admitted through the pipe 32, the airwithin the cylinder 28 above the piston acts to move the pistondownward, and the downwardly-moving collar 30b coinpresses the spring37. It then the plug 330I be turned to a position indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 12, air from the cylinder will flow through the pipe 32,through the valve 33, and the pipe 36 to the atmosphere, therebyremoving the pressure from the piston, and the spring 37 will act toraise the piston and connected parts.

The frame 40 of the hand-operated actuator (clearly shown in Fig. 13) issecured on the truck-frame 45 by suitable securing devices 47. A rod 41slides in guides 40a on the frame 40 and has at its lower end a fork41a, in which the wheel 42 turns. A lever 43' is connected with theupper end of the frame 40 by ahinge 43a. Links 44 connect the lever 43with the upper end of the rod 41, so that when the lever is turned tothe inclined position indicated by dotted lines the rod 41 will be slidupward far enough to raise the wheel 42, so that it will pass over thedepressors without striking them. A latch 43h, connected with thecar-floor 46, keeps the lever 43 in a horizontal position and preventsupward movement of the lever` when the wheel 42 rides on the depressor.When the actuator is not in use, the lever 43 occupies the inclinedposition, and the wheel 42 is raised above the depressor, as indicatedby dotted lines. When it is desired to lower the .actuator to operatethe depressor, the lever 43 will be moved to a horizontal position andcaught under the latch 43h, as shown.

It will be understood that automatic actuators may be placed on one orboth sides of the locomotive, and hand-operated actuators may be placedon one or both sides of a car. In practice I prefer to place automaticactuators on both sides of the locomotive and the hand-operatedactuators on both sides of the car.

When the actuators are placed, as described, the automatic actuators onthe locomotive will normally act on the depressors in the direction inwhich the train is headed with the locomotive in front to open or closethe switches at the discretion of the engineer-that is to say, it thelocomotive is approaching an open switch the automatic actuator may beapplied to close the switch, or if the switch is closed and it isdesired to go from the main track onto the switch the actuator may beapplied to open the switch. The hand-operated actuators are under thecontrol of the conductor or an authorized trainman, and may be used invarious ways in the discretion of the operator to open andv close theswitches.

In practice when it is desired to operate a switch the actuator-wheel islowered into position to ride on top of the depressor-plates IIO 5.6,and the weight carried on the wheel and applied on top of the platesdepresses them and causes them to press downward the bar 51, therebycausing the rollers 52 to push downward on the levers 55, so that thelevers will pull on the rods 62 or 62a, vas the case may be, and therods pulling on the plate 19 will turn it and the shaft 14, which willcause the plate 2O to make a quarter-turn and stop with the balls 10 inthe pockets 9. The quarter-turn of the shaft 14 will slide theswitch-rod 17 to open or close the switch according to the direction inwhich the shaft is turned.

The operation of the device will be understood by reference to Fig. 1.If a train be moving forward on the main track in the directionindicated by the arrow X and the switch leading to the left-hand track2a be open, the engineer will, if he wishes to proceed on the maintrack, open the valve 33 to apply the air to the automatic actuator andthe actuator riding on the depressor 4g will cause the closing of theswitch. In like manner the same train moving in the same direction ifthe switch to the right-hand track 2 is found to be open he Vwilloperate the automatic actuator to act upon the depressor 4C to close theswitch. If the train be on the side track 2a headed in the directionindicated by the arrow Y and the switch be closed, as shown, theengineer will operate the valve 33 to cause the automatic actuator toact on the depressor 4e to open the switch.4

If it is desired to place on the side track 2a a train running on themain track and headed in the direction indicated by the arrow X, theswitch being closed against the train, the engineer will bring intoaction the actuator acting on the depressor 4f to open the switch, sothat the train can pass onto the side track, and as .the train continuesto move on the side track the proper hand-operated actuator will beapplied to the depressor 4e to close the switch and leave the main trackclear, and so on, according. to the depressors which are brought intoaction. y

From the foregoing it will be seen that the actuators at either end ofthe train may be applied to open or close any of the switches in thediscretion of the authorized operator and that the switches cannot bemanually operated by any unauthorized person.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a switch-throwing mechanism, the combination of a stationaryvshell, a semaphore-shaft turning within the shell, a cap fitting on theshell and having a way accommodating a ring, means for securing the capon the shell, a ring iXed in the way of the cap and provided withpockets adapted to receive balls, a chamber-plate secured on said shaftand having axial chambers matching the pockets in said ring, springs inthe chambers of said plate, balls kept in the pockets of said ring bythe action of said springs, and.

means for compressing said springs to permit the withdrawal of the ballsfrom the pockets in the ring.

2. A depressor for switch-throwing mechanism, comprising a bottom plate,side plates secured on the bottom plate and having inwardly-eXtendingflanges and vertical openings, a bar provided with rollers and slidablein the openings through the side plates, depressor plates hinged on thebase -plates, springs supporting the depressor-plates, an oscillativeshaft extending through the side plates, bell-crank leverssecured onsaid shaft and acted upon by the rollers of said slidable bar, a bolsterunder said depressor-plates and vertically movable between said sideplates, a spring supporting said bolster on said slidable bar, and rodsconnecting said depressorplates with said bar.

3. In a switch-throwing mechanism, the combination of depressorsadjacent to the track with which themechanism is used, a switch-standoperated by said depressors to open or close switches, anactuatoroperative by compressed air and adapted to beconnected with atrain running on the track, a valve mounted in the engineers cab, a pipeconnecting said valve with the compressed-air tank of the train, a pipeconnecting said valve with 'the cylinder of the actuator and a pipecommunicating with and adapted to exhaust the air from said cylinder.

1. In a switch-throwing mechanism, the combination of a stationary shellhaving an opening and a door safeguarding said opening, asemaphore-shaft axial to said shell, a sleeve surrounding said shaft, acollar secured on said sleeve and adapted to support a lever, a levermounted on said collar and spanning said sleeve and provided with asocket, a handle fitting in the socket of said lever, a plate above saidlever and slidable on the sleeve, a chamber-plate on the sleeve andhaving radial chambers, springs fitting in the chambers of thechamber-plate and matching corresponding ball-pockets in the shell, andlevers mounted on the chamber-plate and extending upward between theballs and the spring and having downwardly-extending members engaged bythe slidable plate on the semaphore-shaft.

5. In a switch-throwing mechanism, the combination of an automaticactuator connectible with a locomotive and controlled by a valve in theengineers cab, a hand-operated actuator attachable to a car of the trainpulled by the locomotive and operative by a lever within the car, anddepressors adjacent to the track on which the train runs and connectedto operate the switches of the track;

IOO

IIO

all so constructed and arranged that the enscribed my name, at Lincoln,Illinois, this 3d y gineer may operate the automatic actuator day ofFebruary, 1906.

for ernerofency or ordinary settino' of switches and a triimnan mayoperate thoe hand-oper LEX/VIS E STEELE' ated actuator for ordinarysetting of the Vitnesses:

switches. O. A. MERKEL,

In Witness whereof I have hereunto sub- E. H. LICIITENBERG.

